Despite challenges like a car crash that made the agency lose the models at the last minute, the dog having zero patience with Ellie, and so on, solutions to every one of those were obtained by thorough involvement and ideas of people from all levels of both the companies and the advertisement was done filming successfully. And the end result was excellent.
Pretty much everyone was happy with the different roles they played in creating it. They were all happy with their performances. Well, except for Victor.
He had nothing against acting, modeling, or doing whatever to save his business, staff, friends, and acquaintances. However, he absolutely dreaded having to be involved with this despicable woman in any way that might risk arousing feelings he had buried behind—deep into his past. Because since when she had returned and gatecrashed into his workspace so diabolically, he discovered that he had glimpses of specific memories dancing in his mind whenever he looked at her. Her rough, messy hair reminded him of their schooldays when she used to be seen at the parks, lakesides, or streets of Asthel with her old camera—her face pasted to one side and whatever touched her heart at the other.
Even touching her was not without backlash. When he twirled her and held her close in front of the camera, which he was vocally against at the beginning, he couldn't control his body and mind's reactions to her.
And he couldn't fathom how it was possible to think or behave in this manner when this woman repeatedly showed him her viciousness and vain pride.
The time he had shared a part of himself with her—about something cheesy he used to believe, he could still recall how she had barked at him in the end.
He could still remember the days he was guilty of keeping an eye on her during her long walks and adventures around the city. At first, he was just intrigued. As time passed, he told himself he was protecting her from a distance just in case. Then slowly, he realized his wishes had amplified to a complete something else.
From afar, she seemed like a free soul with unbridled dreams. And the young, foolish version of him made the mistake of appreciating and longing for that free soul for an extended period. Yet she had always stomped all over on him after playing with him through fake displays of warmth and interest.
What a waste of precious time!
Trying to clear his mind of these turbulent thoughts, Victor drove his car through the open gates and parked in front of the seven-storeyed building.
A party was thrown to celebrate the advertisement being filmed successfully and the first day of its going on air. It was funded and arranged jointly by both companies—Chimera and the Wishing Star.
As Victor got into the party, the bustling joy of all the people hit his senses, mixed with great music—a high-beat title track of one of the recent blockbuster movies.
Taking a moment, he scanned the hall and found familiar faces chatting and laughing among themselves. Even the media was present at the party. They were stationed before the small stage at the front. A buffet was set at the far side, where it was quieter and had a line of tables and chairs for the guests to sit at and eat. Near the bar area, a few watched the bartender giving a good show with the bottles and glasses.
Thankfully, the diabolical woman couldn't be located at any of these places.
"Vicks boy," Ellie's voice was there before she appeared in his line of sight. The girl was reversed thunder. She stood before him, crossed her arms, and looked at him teasingly. "Are you looking for your Vicks girl, Vicks boy? She's yet to arrive. You know, I'm dying over here to find out her get up this evening."
"First of all, she's not my girl." he narrowed his eyes. " Secondly, why the hell would I look for that girl? She barely crosses my mind. And please refrain from calling her like that—"
"Like what?"
Victor huffed. "Like how you call me."
Ellie seemed to be hiding a smirk. "Which is?"
Victor groaned. "Stop messing around, Ellie."
Finally, Ellie let out a chuckle. "But your names are like born from one another! So twinny!" Slipping a hand into the crook of his, she steered him into the hall and amidst the bustling people. "Everyone is talking about the chemistry between you two. The way you were in front of the camera—damn, you guys give off the couple vibes—"
Victor's body went stiff. "There's no such thing between us. I just tried my best and did not want to ruin everyone's hard work because of me."
Ellie nudged his side with her elbow. "I did not know your best attempts at acting could look so award-worthy."
Victor just grumbled.
"Why have you become so grumpy since we met that nice girl?" As they took two drinks, Ellie inquired.
"Who nice girl?"
Irritated that he wasn't getting her words quickly, Ellie tsked. "Well, I'm talking about Vicks girl."
"Because she's anything but a nice girl," Victor replied cunningly. "And stop calling her that!"
"Argh, seriously, what is your problem if I call her that?"
"I told you I don't like the similarity," Victor said indignantly. "An uncomplicated person like you's unable to see that she's a snake hidden behind the mask of a bird. I would suggest, Ellie," he paused to gulp down the entire drink in his hand angrily. "You forget about that newly formed, completely unnecessary friendship with her. Trust me."
Ellie pinned Victor with a scowl of suspicion, "And you wouldn't still tell me the reason why you dislike her so much, will you?"
Entirely disregarding her question, Victor looked away toward the stage where a girl named Julie Irish from Chimera agency started her duty leading the program. Orland and Victor were called on stage and appreciated for how both of their companies jumped into problem-solving in the most unique and intelligent ways during the entire filming process.
The flashes of cameras were a bit blinding at times. Although it was irritating, Victor was ecstatic about Wishing Star getting such massive media coverage for the first time. It would definitely prove to be a great marketing advantage.
"So, now," Julie said. "We're going to watch the finished project for the first time together at the same time as the entire country also watches it."
Victor and Orland moved to stand next to Julie as she clicked her fingers, and the lights dimmed.
"Five, four, three..."
A countdown led toward the airing moment of the advertisement. The large screen on the stage wall lit up, and the ad started. People clapped, celebrating the moment.
Discreetly, Victor looked around. That impossible woman had still not arrived.
What an indisciplined spoilt kid!
As everyone had come up fairly close to the stage now, the space after the elevators was vacant behind them.
Victor had moved his face to the side to cough into a tissue when a flash of pink caught the corners of his eyes. He glanced properly toward the figure moving closer, then did a double take.
The lace knee-length figure-hugging dress with three-quarter sleeves was a baby pink that enhanced her natural beauty. Her eyelashes were curled and accentuated. Even her hair looked different—better than when they got beautified by the make-up artist for the filming. On her supple skin, the light from the screen reflected like wonder.
Clearly, she had left no stone unturned to transform herself from her otherwise rough and extra-tough self to this tempting being.
She looked almost unreal.
However, as she paused after reaching the crowd gathered in front of the stage, and her eyes looked up to connect to his—there, that exact moment yanked him back into the past.
☁️
The day of the Valentine's Bash was near—a yearly party held by the students with no exception. The unofficially official code for the party was to bring a date along. Like the prom, people had to ask the girl or boy they wanted to be their companion for the party.
Well, since a long time, Victor had already set his mind on who he would like to ask.
Of course, it was her. Victoria.
In the past few days, he had found the opportunities to come closer to her and form a friendship of some sort. In one instance, she almost fainted due to low pressure while walking down the school's corridor. Fortunately, he was close by—like he was always these days—and he helped her in time by catching her before she fell. He then took her to the school's nurse. Smiling in a manner, she never smiled at anyone; Victoria had thanked her.
Saving her camera from getting mashed by a running classmate from the opposite direction, returning the algebra book she had forgotten at her leisurely reading spot under the Oak tree, reprimanding one of the gossipmonger chic group badmouthing about her—Victor hoped she would recall all these acts of appreciation of his and agree to be his partner when he would ask her.
But after attempting to ask her face-to-face a couple of times and failing pathetically like the coward he was, he sat by the stone mermaid fountain in front of the library in despair. With his eyes closed, he pulled at his hair in frustration. Suddenly, something soft hit the back of his head.
Opening his eyes, he looked around but could not locate anyone. Nevertheless, a piece of paper scrunched up into the shape of a ball lay behind him on the grass. Confused, he picked it up and straightened out the scrunched body of the paper.
'Dare in front of everyone, and it will not go in vain. Ask, and it will be yours.'
- The girl with the camera.
No way! 'The girl with the camera' was the name Victoria went by while posting the brilliant photos she had clicked in the yearly school magazine.
As he read and reread the words, his heart thudded with an all-consuming feeling he could not name. It must be a blend of joy, thrill, and something else more robust.
The question crossed her mind why she would want him to ask her in front of everyone, especially when she somehow was already aware of his intention and when she intended to say yes? The excited part of his mind that hated to have second thoughts in a moment so auspicious as this scolded all the unpleasant questions to extinction.
He scoured the campus, feeling sturdy this time now that he was sure she would surely agree to be his partner at the party. She had thrown the letter at him just now, so she couldn't have gone that far. And indeed, he didn't have to search for too long. Outside the art department building, he found her. She had taken a few art electives that weren't common to his choice of subjects.
There were many other students there—gossiping, arguing, joking, laughing away, asking each other out for Valentine's day bash. And there she was. He noticed. For some reason, she seemed a bit absent-minded even though she stood with her classmates.
But it was now or never. Besides, she was perhaps just a little anxious as him. So, he approached her anyway and called her name, "V—Vi—Victoria—" The nerves made him stutter. Despite hearing low chuckles around, he carried on strongly—just what she had told him to do. He would not care about anything else but her.
And when she turned to look at her, his heart skipped a beat right there.
Her mouth gaped, but she was silent and a little pale.
Was she that anxious?
He straightened the t-shirt he was wearing out of nervousness. "I wanted to ask you—"
One of the onlookers standing next to Victoria gasped. Some snickered while others 'awed.' "Is he—whoa—is it what I think it is..." Someone seemed too eager.
Victor closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. Calming and strengthening himself, he completed what he had started, "Will you go with me at the Valentine's Bash, Victoria?"
Obviously, asking it was just a formality since she had already written him her answer.
Ignoring all the other voices—excited, mocking, and teasing—he expectedly stared at her face.
For some time, she was silent, perhaps because of feeling shy. But then he noticed her looking over his shoulder at something. Following her gaze, he was about to turn back around and see what got her attention so bad that she forgot about him standing in front of her with such a significant question.
However, she transferred her gaze back onto him. And as those big, black eyes that glowed with interest for all the beauty and wonders of the world looked at him, he felt like she had reached his soul. He forgot everything else that existed in the universe.
But then those eyes he adored hardened, and the glow in them died. His heart dropped even before she opened her mouth.
"No," she said simply.
"Oooooo..." Everyone made that unified noise following the utterly embarrassing situation.
His ears rung from the straight and confusing rejection. This entire thing didn't add up.
She was turning around to leave. Desperate and confused, he scurried forward and held her slender wrist. "Wait—"
"Hey—" she jerked free her hand from his and looked around frantically.
"If you had to say no, then why did you write that letter?"
She stood in silence for a moment before scowling at him. "Are you insinuating that I, the daughter of Rex Davies, would write a nobody like you a letter to supposedly say yes to your offer to go with you at the party?" She scoffed. "Are you insane?"
The crowd of student body present was now unashamedly rounded up around the two, watching the scene.
Victor was stunned and humiliated. He could not understand the head and tail of the entire fiasco. "Please don't lie!" He tried to be as calm as possible.
She shook her head and yelled at him, "Just stay away from me, okay?"
Turning around, she sprinted out of the crowd pushing anyone off that stood in her way.
Victor stood alone in the middle of all, various remarks on the fresh rejection being murmured by the witnesses.
In the most expensive baby blue colored dress, Victoria attended the party with her hand tucked in the crook of Colin's arm. Colin was the Davies' family friend—an equally wealthy family's kid as them. For a deceiver, she looked incredibly innocent because of her choice of colors and minimal make-up.
What a fool he was!
From afar at the party, Victor watched them and scoffed in his mind now that he knew how vain she was and her pride in wealth, status, and family power.
He didn't know what he was doing at the party or why he had arrived. While everyone sauntered in pairs, he loomed like a ghastly shadow—a loner. Some people even left no stone unturned to show their sympathies for him. Victor felt contempt toward his own pathetic self that had become so accustomed to the habits grown of adoring her from afar.
It was hard to eliminate habits that had been engraved so profoundly.
And, like always, she did not notice him.
Why would she, after all?
He was just a nobody from a lower-middle-class family. After his father had passed away some years ago, their financial status had fallen awry. His father did not leave back any savings—it was all spent during the long period of time when he was hospitalized and kept in the ICU. Now, his mother was the only bread earner of the family and had to provide the expenses of his and his sister's education. Sure, he and his sister did part-time jobs as much as possible, but the money earned did not contribute to any savings.
If Victor compared his financial background to that of Victoria's family—he would just be comparing a mouse to a freaking monster.
Nevertheless, he promised himself that it would not be the same always.
Sometime during the party, a group of guys took the chance when he was going to the washroom and pushed him outside the backdoor, grabbing his collar.
"Hey!" Victor yelled, pushing back the hand that held his collar. "What the heck! What's this nonsense?"
"I should be asking you that!" It was Victoria's cousin, Ricky—Victor recognized.
When Victor remained quiet and tried to gauze the situation, and the reason behind their rile because he could not understand what he had actually done wrong, Ricky spat, "You have got the gall walking up to my cousin and asking her to be your plaything for the party—"
"I never considered her a plaything—" Victor began to protest.
"You've been stalking her nonstop freaking everywhere," cutting him midsentence, Ricky bellowed and grabbed his collars again. He stared Victor eye-to-eye and threatened in a low voice, "If I ever see you even an inch around my cousin, you will lose everything dear to you. Get it?"
In silence, Victor gritted his teeth, feeling enraged.
"It is a warning on behalf of my cousin," Ricky added smugly. "The daughter of the Davies family."
It froze Victor's insides. Did she loathe him to this extent?
"And now, so that you never forget it—" Ricky swung back a fist and hurled it straight into his stomach.
"Oomph—" Air left his lungs.
After that, they beat him for some time—punching and kicking him anywhere they could. Trying to fight back only made them more infuriated and made it all worse. He was scrawny and alone and no match against them.
In the end, they left him crouched on his knees—leaning against the building wall—biting his bottom lip to contain the groans of pain. Sweat dotted all over his face. His breaths were harsh and anguished.
Afterward, he didn't return to the party that night, knowing that the evil girl would surely laugh after seeing his pitiful condition.
There was just no more strength left in him to bear more humiliation and hurt.
☁️
~
Word Count: 2982
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A/N:
Hello everyone,
So here's the beginning of the point which will change both Victor and Victoria's lives. But all things happen for the best. Do you believe in it?
The cloud emoji/sign signals the beginning and end of a flashback/past scene.
Poor Victor! My heart cries for him. And Victoria! The girl has got a great mess of a life to fix. Who do you believe has suffered more in the past, by the way? Victor or Victoria?
Please don't forget to vote, comment, and share! Follow/fan me to get notified of my updates.
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Love,
Lara.